Chapter 130

"Hmm, as expected."

"Special Jonin, a very fitting position."

"On one hand, it offsets my merit, and on the other, it provides no actual benefits. That is our Hokage's way of doing things."

Uchiha Jin said with a smile.

That's right.

Even if he had wiped out the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, he had never thought about being promoted directly to Jonin.

After all, becoming a Jonin not only grants autonomy and the role of a team leader, but crucially, it also results in automatic induction into the Jonin Squad.

Autonomy.

Simply put, it means that in special circumstances, one can refuse orders from above.

A general in the field is not bound by the sovereign's commands, after all.

As for being a team leader, that goes without saying.

Just by leading a few generations of students, one can cultivate bonds.

And among these students, commoners cannot be led by Jonin; those qualified to be led by Jonin are basically the elites of the various ninja clans.

Hiruzen Sarutobi is hostile toward the Uchiha.

How could he possibly allow an Uchiha like him to have the opportunity to build bonds with the various ninja clans?

More importantly, there is the Jonin Squad.

Once one joins the Jonin Squad, one automatically gains voting rights.

From the appointment of the Hokage to the approval of financial budgets, everything requires a vote from the Jonin Squad.

This is actually the true reason why Sakumo Hatake had to die!

The Jonin Squad leader has the power of organization and the authority to decide when to hold meetings.

If Sakumo Hatake had even the slightest bit of ambition, he could have chosen a time when Hiruzen Sarutobi was away from the village and his supporters happened to be out on missions to initiate a high-ranking ninja squad vote; he might have even been able to directly impeach Hiruzen Sarutobi as Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi is not stupid enough to leave such an important position open.

Sakumo Hatake was not part of the Hokage faction!

Facing this guy who controlled the three major departments—the Anbu, the Jonin Squad, and the Torture and Interrogation Force—and who also possessed the half-sleeve robe bestowed by the Daimyo, he naturally had to do everything possible to get rid of him.

Therefore, the same logic applies.

The title of Jonin cannot be given away casually.

That comes with voting rights!

Even if Uchiha Jin only had one vote, for an enemy like the Uchiha, it had to be restricted as much as possible.

As for Shisui, that didn't matter.

He is an Uchiha who possesses the 'Will of Fire,' so Hiruzen Sarutobi is naturally very at ease with him.

Regarding Uchiha Jin's words, Shisui remained silent.

If it were in the past, he would certainly have been unable to resist refuting such talk about the Hokage.

Now, however, it is different!

Through his exchanges with Jin, his thinking had broadened, and he had seen many things he hadn't seen before.

Naturally, he no longer held the same respect for Hiruzen Sarutobi as he once did.

Hyuga Aya felt nothing about this.

As a member of the Hyuga branch family, she was merely a tool.

No one cared about her thoughts.

Only Nara Kazama.

His lips were curled in a sneer.

Although he was from the Nara clan, because of Shikaku Nara, he and the Hokage faction were not on the same page.

"Alright, Jin-kun."

"The situation is as it is now. Do you have any plans for what comes next?"

"Everyone here is one of our own, so just speak plainly."

That's right.

The Nara clan is quite pragmatic.

Since the current situation cannot be changed, he prefers to talk about the future.

"Just waiting to return to the village," Uchiha Jin said softly. "If my guess is correct, I won't be participating in the war anymore."

"Our Hokage won't let me earn any merit because I don't have the Will of Fire."

"It just so happens that I'm unconscious now, so our Hokage will enthusiastically let me have a good recovery."

"But you all are different!"

"You will most likely be sent to other battlefields."

"The situation in the Land of Rain won't last long. Our Konoha is very strong, and especially after experiencing the Second Great Ninja War, we are even less willing to have the war at our doorstep."

"I suspect it won't be long before the battlefield is pushed into the Land of Grass."

"The Land of Grass plays both sides, and this time they've sided with the Cloud Village. Even if we crush the Land of Grass, our Konoha won't care."

"Once you are sent into the Land of Grass, you must be careful."

"The Cloud Village is very strong!"

"Especially Aya, who is the weakest; you must protect her well."

"As for me, that goes without saying."

"While I'm recovering in Konoha, I'll take this opportunity to help Aya settle the matter with the Hyuga!"

"……"